Mayors

More is expected to be learned Wednesday about Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges’ trip to the Vatican. She is currently there with nine other U.S. mayors for a two-day conference on sex trafficking and climate change.

Five Minnesota mayors signed an amici curiae brief in support of marriage equality, which is being submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court as it prepares to hear arguments once again on whether to legalize same-sex marriage.

As the NHL playoffs heat up for the Minnesota Wild, so too are the stakes rising between the Twin Cities and Chicago. On Friday, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman challenged Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to a friendly bet on the second round series between the Wild and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Mayors from Mississippi River cities are calling on Congress to increase funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for infrastructure improvements and dredging projects that keep commerce flowing on the important waterway.

The mayors of 18cities are reviving a push against letting food stamps be used to buy soda and other sugary drinks. In a letter sent to congressional leaders on Tuesday, the mayors say it’s “time to test and evaluate approaches limiting” the use of the subsidies for sugar-laden beverages.

Mayors from around Minnesota are gathering to discuss how an $80 million bump in state aid to cities will affect their cities. The increased local government aid also means $40 million more for counties and $10 million for townships. The mayors were meeting Wednesday with Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans.

Democratic voters in Minneapolis got together this weekend to pick their preference for the city’s next mayor. They couldn’t reach a decision, but if the recent past is any indication, the next mayor of Minneapolis will be a DFLer. Of the 25 biggest U.S. cities, only Indianapolis and Fort Worth have Republican mayors.

Mayors from around Minnesota are telling Gov. Mark Dayton that cuts to local government aid would hurt the ability of their communities to provide public safety, perform needed maintenance and deliver services like libraries and community centers.